


From Zero to Hero

by renysen



Category: Pocket Monsters | Pokemon (Main Video Game Series), Pocket Monsters | Pokemon - All Media Types, Pocket Monsters: Black & White | Pokemon Black and White Versions, Pokemon
Genre: Future Isshushipping, M/M, Mother-Daughter Relationship, Mother-Son Relationship, Slow Build, Stuttering, Underdog Story
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-06-20
Updated: 2017-07-12
Packaged: 2018-07-16 03:07:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 9,486
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7249591
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/renysen/pseuds/renysen
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The world was dominated by people and pokemon who could do things. She was good at that, at being everything everyone wanted. He... He couldn't even say a couple of words without stumbling all over them.</p><p>But this. This was going to be his. His moment. His chance to be more.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Starting Point

**Author's Note:**

> Prompt: Black's always been sort of the Unfavoured in his family. Constantly overshadowed by his loud, outgoing and popular older twin sister, with a debilitating stutter and not much talent - that is, until he becomes a Pokémon trainer. Suddenly, he's the one that does everything best, and he quickly rises to the top, becomes Hero of Truth and Saviour of Unova and gains the admiration of everyone - and, most importantly, N's affection.  
> Thing is, Black's still just an adorkable, neurotic, stuttering, shy youth. Cue him striving to deal with his sudden badass, his older, extremely weird boyfriend and his sister's utter jealousy. I just want to see Black struggling to balance himself and everyone's expectations.
> 
> Bonus points if N is the only one Black feels he can still be himself with, because N sees through his acts easily.

“Ma’am, your daughter is a very smart child. She’s a natural leader during all of our class activities and works well in teams. You must be very proud!” His teacher explained to his mother.

 Touko was playing with a group of classmates, of which Cheren and Bianca had joined because it was a Pokemon-based game called _Sawk Steals_.

 “My daughter is a gem, isn’t she? I can already tell that she’ll be a great pokemon trainer one day! But I’m more worried about Touya, how’s he doing?” His mother asked.

  _Sawk Steals_ is a game where one child plays as Sawk, the martial artist fighting pokemon. This child has to go to one of the two groups of children and take them away before a child designated as Patrat goes to call the opposing team of flying, bug, poison and psychic type pokemon, which will drive off Sawk.

 “Your son…” There was a hesitant pause, “He doesn’t socialize well with his classmates. Mainly due to his stutter, but he’s painfully shy. Maybe, should he be placed in another classroom, one without his sister’s influence, he might be able to grow into his own.”

 Only that had done little good in the long run, his sister’s charisma and unending energy would just end up charming the few people nice enough to try and befriend him and they would become Touko’s friends instead.

 “Perhaps…” Was all his mother said, unease clear in her voice.

 Touko had been Sawk this time. She managed to convince 5 kids to go off with her before ‘Patrat’ saw her, and managed to get two more before she was ran off by the other team. She had managed to take 7 of the 12 children in the group. More than half, which was already very good for the first round of her being Sawk, if she managed to take the last 5 kids then she would win and the last caught would be the next Sawk.

 “Touya?” His mom calls as she exits the classroom and approaches where he’s sitting, “What’s wrong? Why aren’t you playing with the other kids?”

 He had been sitting at the benches near the classroom since the Parent-Teacher Conference had begun. Bianca had asked if he wanted to come play with them, whereas Cheren had waited long enough for his answer before bolting off to try and make Touko lose the game. He had declared her his rival and therefore enemy after she had humiliated him last game. Though humiliated was a little strong for what she did since it had been an accident.

 “Touya?” He shook his head. His mother sighed, “Touya. Cheren and Bianca are playing too. Don’t you think you’d have fun playing with them too?”

 He shook his head and she knelt near him, “Why don’t you want to go play with them?”

 “N-Nobody wants t-t-t-t-t-t-to play w-with me.” Last time he had played, Touko had kicked him in the stomach and everyone had gotten mad at him when the teacher had stopped their game. It wasn’t the first time she had kicked someone, but he couldn’t breathe and everyone was being so mean.

 Touko hadn’t meant to do it intentionally, just like she hadn’t intentionally squirted the water bottle so hard it had broken open on top of Cheren letting everyone see his heart boxers.

 “I’m sure Bianca and Cheren want to play with you.” He shook his head. Cheren wanted to 1-up Touko and Bianca could make friends easily.

 “Touya, I don’t think you should be so reclusive. Look at your sister. Don’t you want to be out there having fun too?”

 Touko cheered loudly when she managed to drag Cheren just out of the circle as the opposite team entered the area. Cheren’s mood was foul but Bianca was cheering and laughing with the other kidnapped kids, and even Cheren couldn’t remain angry when Bianca was smiling like that.

 He nodded, “Then you have to try and be more open. Try talking to your classmates a bit, once they get to know you I’m sure they’ll be able to see pass your stutter like Cheren and Bianca have. Wouldn’t you like that?”

 He knew he should nod because that was what his mom expected from him, but he was scared and he was seven. He shook his head and climbed into his mother’s lap, wrapping his arms around her neck and curling into her frame.

 His mother just sighed and let him until Touko’s game finished and they headed home. The only sound was of his mother praising his sister and his sister ignoring him in favour of painting herself pretty in their mother’s eyes.

 He wasn’t like Touko.

 He would just have to try harder…

  ------------------------------

 Their mother came into the room with a slight skip in her steps when she sits down at the dinner table that evening. Touko and him exchange a questioning glance because, even though they are fifteen (and two weeks!) and they can’t quite come to like each other, they are still siblings.

 “Kids,” she begins as if they were still ten, “an old friend just called to let me know that my Liepard just had a few eggs and that they needed a place to keep them for a few days as they readied their house to take in the kittens." She could barely hold her enthusiasm, literally shaking the few seconds before she blurted out, "And I said 'Yes!'"

 Touko threw herself out of her seat, squeeling in laughter and glee. His mom throws her arms around her and they both hop in place as they contemplate the possibilities and the fact that they will have baby pokemon running around the house.

 "I fully expect both of you to be present for when they arrive to leave the eggs. Touko, you should be there to greet them. I'll be sure to prepare some cookies so that you can bring them out of the oven to share. After all, you're a wonderful chef, sweetheart!" His mom gushed caressing her daughter's hair. Touko complained a bit but preened at the attention as she always had since she was a child.

 "And Touya, you don't have to worry about talking, okay? I just want you to be there so we can all be there as a family. Try to brighten up a bit and smile." She did an extra emphasis by poking her own cheeks to widen her smile.

 "Now if everyone's ready, let's get to work! We have to clean out the study and move all the breakable items from the first floor." At this outburst, both teens groaned and went to prepare for the cleaning spree. Touko heading to change clothes and Touya to put the empty plates to soak in the sink and got newspapers to wrap around the fragile decorations his mother had in the living room.

 "It'll be wonderful to have the house filled with babies again!" The melodious ring in his mother's voice was enough to draw a smile to Touya's lips.

 Professor Aurea Juniper had been looking for teenagers interested in beginning their pokemon journeys. Touya knew that the requirements were an extensive knowledge in pokemon types, survival in the wilderness and, of course, parental permission. Touko had announced to everyone who was willing to listen that she would no doubt participate and go on her pokemon journey and replace Alder as reigning Champion.

 Cheren had come to dislike her even more due to his immense respect for the man, it had become an amusing reoccurrance because Cheren and Touko would fight over the matter and Touko would always lose since hopes and dreams could hardly compare to hard reality. Touya just liked Cheren a lot more because of it.

 "H-Hey, Mom." He asked, trying to regulate his erratic breathing to allow better speech. It was better than before but he would ocassionally relapse if he got too nervous.

 "Yes, baby?" 

His mom was cleaning the pokemon glass statues before handing Touya the ones she had finished cleaning so he could wrap them up for storage. He received them and placed them in front of him as he made short work out of the first two.

 "I thought that-t...." he stopped himself before he got caught in the word but reformulating the question, "Do you think Touko and I... We c-could go... on our P-p-pokemon jour-journies? After the babies?"

 Dammit, that was a lot less fluid than he had been hoping.

 His mom gave him a startled look before warily eyeing the stairs that led to the bedrooms. She knelt on the ground next to him, her eyes soft and yet filled with warm amusement. "Touya, you know what I told Touko when she asked?"

 He nodded.

 "Mom, you know I'm perfectly capable of taking care of myself!" Touko had howled throughout the house as she followed their mom around trying to convince her into filling in the consent to allow her to go on her pokemon journey.

 "I know, sweety, but you know how I feel about you going on you pokemon journey on your own." Touya remembered the pang in his chest as his mother said this. Had she not even considered sending him on his own pokemon journey? His stutter might get in the way of battles but that didn't make him useless!

 "But Mom! They'd just be holding me back. Besides, you know that the only one that would go on a journey with me would be Cheren and I hate that guy. Pompous jerk!"

 "Touko! I didn't raise you to speak like that, besides he's a nice boy and a friend of your brother. You shouldn't call him names." Their mother amonished.

 Touko scoffed, "Touya, doesn't mind. Right, Touya?"

 He shook his head from his bed as both women entered his room, because this wasn't the worst thing he had heard Touko say about Cheren and Cheren referred to her in about the same terms so he thought it didn't deserve the headache to butt into.

 "Never the less, in this household, I don't want to hear it."

 "Fine..." Touko groaned before reverting from her previous slump, "But seriously, Mom, let me go on my pokemon journey! I'll even take Touya if I must."

 Touya looked up at that.

 He was half insulted that she considered him amongst the people that could drag her down and half genuinely shocked that she would want to drag him across the region. Not that she would have to drag, as long as he could travel and have a pokemon to call his own, he was willing to put up with her.

 "Touko, dear, do you really think that as a mother I would be happy to be parted with my baby? Give me a few more years to enjoy you both before I have to resign myself that both of you are ready to face the world, okay? Can you do that for me?"

 It hadn't been the first time that his mother had said that. She had been saying it since they were eleven, but it wasn't an unreasonable demand no matter how you looked at it.

 "You can't keep sheltering us our entire lives!" Touko screamed, rushing out the door.

 The hurt expression on his mom's face meant he would have to comfort her and that Touko's favorite foods would be served throughout the following days to cushion the disappointment. He didn't mind, if he was lucky one day she would favour him over Touko.

 "Yeah. I remember." He managed.

 She leaned in closer to whisper in his ear, "I've been worried about Touko doing something rash and I want to her to know I do trust her so I've asked for Liepard's eggs so she can get some experience before going on her journey."

 His blood freezes in his veins and he desperately wants to ask her if she doesn't mean _'our journies'_ , his and Touko's, not just Touko, but he doesn't because he is scared that she'll answer with the same ease as she's telling him now that he can't go because he suffers from a disability, _did he really think he could go and do such normal things?_

 He doesn't know if she sees anything in his face but she steps back and gets back to work as Touko finishes opening the door of her room. Emerging with her shirt barely covering her body as she struggles with the neckline.

 Touya just sighs because some days he thinks Touko needs all the help she can get.

 ------------------------------

 Five eggs arrived two months before their sixteenth birthday, Touko and their mom had paled upon the sight and called reinforcements in the shape of Cheren and Bianca.

 "Don't worry, ma'am, you made a correct choice at picking me as the caretaker of these eggs. I will be sure not to disappoint you."

 "Yes! Don't worry, we're here to help you every step of the way in taking care of the little ones."

 Bianca was a heaven-sent as always with her cheerful manner and peacekeeping ways, while Cheren was obsessed over being a better caretaker than Touko. Touko made her egg the most sparkle-covered egg anyone had ever seen, would take to lustering it with organic oil, treating it as her new bestfriend and dragging it everywhere with her.

 Touya just kept the egg warm with his personal heat and hummed songs softly as he read books of pokemon egg caretaking. He began taking walks with the egg, often but not more than half and hour long.

 It came to no surprise that having taken it everywhere with her, Touko's egg was the first to hatch.

 "Iiiiiiiiieeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeyyyyyyaaaaaaaaa!"

 Touya put down his egg and rushed down to the room of his sister who held the egg she had been given up in the air.

 "Touko! What's wrong are you o-okay?"

 His mother was the next in the room, "Touko, sweetie, is everything alright?"

 Touko turned, her eyes shinning bright in wonder. A small movement came from the egg and she turned to show it to the entering group. "It's hatching. Mama, it's hatching!"

 The egg shook and cracks that had already been there when Touya had arrived began spreading as a figure began pushing from the inside. The doorbell rang.

 "Touya, go and answer the door. Don't worry, it takes a while before the baby fully leaves the egg." His mom ordered, taking a seat next to Touko to see the egg hatch. He hesitated a while at the door, wanting to see more but had to listen when the doorbell rung again.

 "Hurry, the egg's hatching." He urged Bianca and Cheren as he left them to return upstairs.

 They arrived to an egg with more pieces caved out and a head beginning to peak out from the egg's shell. A strong push led to the baby purrloin's head peaking out and a soft mewling coming from the newborn. It wiggled a paw out and their mom began clearing the egg from pieces to allow the purrloin to easily crawl out without being retricted.

 "Oh~" Touko cooed, "My baby! Come on, come on baby. You can do it!"

 The moment it was fully out, Touko craddled it in her arms and everyone gathered around to coo at the baby.

 "Touya, go for the baby formula." His mom ordered.

 He gave her an indignant look but she pressed forward, "The quicker you go, the quicker you come back. Go!"

 He huffed in anger and headed downstairs to prepare the formula. Mixing the powder with water and heating it to be lukewarm, it was when the bottle was cooling down that he heard another meow. He stood still and listened attentively, there it was. It sounded faintly, much more faint than the ones coming from Touko's room.

 He cautiously went up the stairs and headed to his room, quietly as to not alert the entralled occupants of his sister's room of his presence and opened the door. His eyes immediately fell on the egg he had set down on his bed. There was a hole in the egg and shards of the shell scattered around it, creating a trail that led to his pillow. He lift it and saw the little purrloin that had been meowing minutes prior and now stared at him quietly.

 "Hey, li-lit-little g-guy. Sorry I wasn't here to we-welcome you." He reached out to pet the feline. It hissed and batted away his hand with its small paws. He dismissed the hostility and craddled the purrloin in his arms, taking it to the kitchen where the bottle of pokemon formula waited.

 As he fed his purrloin, emotional waves began to manifest: sadness, anger, joy, envy and most vividly regret. The waves would crash and break every particular time he focused on how he should have been there and how Touko had seen her purrloin hatch while distracting him from his own.

 "Touya" Cheren called from the doorway of the kitchen. Eyes widening when he realized what his friend had in his arms, "So yours hatched as well. That would explain why you weren't coming up. When did it hatch?"

 Touya could feel the tide pulling back to form a particularly strong wave of regret and self-recrimination. "I don't know. I went to Touko's room for her egg's hatching and when I came back it had already..."

 Cheren seemed genuinely upset, "Couldn't you feel the egg shaking before now? Surely you knew it was coming."

 "I did but, Touko screamed and I..."

 Cheren snorted, "So once again your sister's Diva Complex made you miss out an important moment in your life." Touya opened his mouth to retort but caught himself because Cheren was right and it had been his fault for getting caught up in the moment but Touko...

 Touko had to learn to stop taking him for granted.

 Touko had to stop being the family's main concern. He was going to look out for his own interests. He was going to take care of his purrloin. And Touko was not going to get in his way.

 Cheren was still staring at him when he came back into focus, "It seems you made up your mind about something. That's good. If it's going to help you get out from under your sister's shadow, you can always count on me to help."

 From the upstairs, Touko's voice could be heard, "Touya, hurry up with that bottle."

 Cheren grabbed the baby formula and dryier to hold the pan Touya had used for the first one, "Just remember it isn't the purrloin's fault it's under Touko's care."


	2. Chapter 2

Professor Juniper sat at the porch of her lab with the mothers of Bianca, Cheren, Touko and Touya. All the women were looking on at the teens caring for their pokemon.

 "Aurea, we were thinking about allowing our children to go on their pokemon journies and we would like it if you could help us with this." Felicia, mother of Bianca, breached the subject. Regardless of her husband's reluctance to let Bianca on her journey, Felicia was determined to have Bianca set off with her friends.

 Cheren's mother, Chelsea, nodded decisively, "My son is meant to be a great pokemon trainer but the world out there is becoming more and more dangerous lately. Anything that could grant him a bit more protection would be beneficial."

 "I don't see how I can be of any help. All I can offer them is the pokedex and their starter pokemon, after that it's up to them to use their own abilities to succeed." Aurea took a sip of her tea, "Besides, as you've probably realized yourselves, your children are already forming amazing bonds with their purrloin. It seems to me that all they need is for me to initiate them as trainers and set them off on their journeys."

 Felicia was the first to agree with this thought, "Yes, my Bianca has made good friends with her purrloin. It almost makes me sad that soon the family is going to come and pick them up."

 "Yes. Speaking of which, Amelia, what have you been teaching Touya? Your son seems to have inherited your abilities as a coordinator. His purrloin's fur is lustrous and bright. What is his secret?" Chelsea inquired suspiciously.

 Amelia, the twin's mom, felt uneasy as she became the center of attention of all the women in the room. She turned to see her kids. Touko was carrying her purrloin around in a baby pouch she had stored away in the basement after both kids had entered their toddler years, while talking animatedly with Bianca who had her purrloin cradled in her arms.

 Touya sat just a bit away from where Cheren was struggling to keep his cat from playing with his glasses. He sat under a tree nearby reading a book  -wasn't that her book on battle strategy?-  while his purrloin ran chasing butterflies, fur shining brightly in the sun with a luster its siblings lacked.

 She turned to the rest of the women with pride, "I guess he turned out more like me than I thought."

 "That's not an answer!" Chelsea pouted exaggerately.

 "Returning to the matter at hand," Aurea was patient but her presence in the group was optional most of the time "what can I help you ladies with?"

 The women looked amongst themselves before nodding. With a smile, Felicia began to explain.

 

\---------------------------------------------------------

 

 Amelia was in a situation.

 Today was the day that the Masons came to pick up the kittens and nothing was ready yet. Touya was keeping an eye on the cats, after they had played jumping jacks on Cheren and mind games with Bianca. Cheren was cleaning up this morning's mess and arranging the living room, while Amelia and Bianca were in the kitchen making treats for their guests to eat, and Touko had been sent to the grocery store for some cookie dough they had forgotten to buy.

 "Mom! Get dressed!" Touya called from the living room. "I-I-It's a quar-ter to f-fou-four."

 "Where is Touko? They're about to arrive and your sister has yet to come back from the store. What's taking her so long?" Her worry wasn't enough to ditch her guests for her wayward child.

 "I'll go look for her!" Announced Bianca, hurrying out the door. Cheren scoffed as he fluffled cushions in the living room, "She never wants to clean." His expression was too soft to mean Touko.

 Bianca at least was hard working enough to spare her some slack when she wanted to ditch cleaning duty. Touko hadn't even begun helping before she jumped out the door, like always.

 "Admire the cinnamon bun. T-too pure, t-too inno-innocent for this w-world!" Touya joked implying Bianca. Cheren's puffed in annoyance, swung the cushion towards Touya's face and scowled when he dodged.

 "I can see why the purrloin like you."

 Touya could barely comprehend the amount of praise he was getting. He had been expecting to be ignored tonight like always but the Masons just climbed over themselves to see the purrloin listen to Touya's commands.

 "What else can you make them do?" Mrs. Mason stared at the purrloin, each maintaining the command Touya had asked them. One sat, one played dead, one was in the begging pose and the last covered its face with its paws.

 Touya's embarrassment kept increasing to be even more powerful than his desires to stall for time until Bianca and Cheren returned from going to look for Touko, who still hasn't returned home.

 "Up." He told the purrloin. "In a line. Walk."

 The purrloin took their time giving him a brush against before following the order and heading in line to the wall and back. As they reached him, he gave them all a thorough rubbing and made a clicker sound four times. The Masons clapped enthusiastically and began praising him.

 "They're goo-" He stopped himself from stuttering and breathed before completing the phrase with a smile, "great cats."

 "You have such a handsome and cool son, Sempai." Touya couldn't help the stunned look that came to his face at that remark. Mr. Mason was handsome himself, as a competitive coordinator he wore very stunning and stylish clothes.

 Touya desperately wished he had his cap so he could tug it down over his face instead of trying to hide his blushes by obviously turning away from their guests.

 "Yes, my Touya is my pride and joy. He takes after me so much. My daughter Touko, on the other hand, is such a spirited young girl, it's so hard to reign her in." His mother began as she bit into a chip that had been part of the snacks on the table. Touya could feel something cold settle inside of him and hoped Touko didn't come in before she was done badmouthing her own daughter to perfect strangers.

 The Masons obviously had no idea Mom's true personality and seemed surprised at this declaration.

 Touya couldn't bare listening to more so he blocked out his mom's hurtful words and concentrated on the purrloin. She was always like this. Touya and Touko were the perfect children until they made her look bad, then they were unruly brats that made her life hard and kept her from doing so many things with her life.

 The door was slammed open by Cheren and Bianca. Both of them turned to his mom with dread written on their faces so clear everyone stood in response. "Cheren, Bianca, what's wrong?"

 They shared a troubled look, "Ma'am, we've looked everywhere but we can't find Touko." Cheren couldn't bare looking at anyone as he delivered the news. Bianca began to cry and Touya would bet anything that it wasn't the first time she did.

 His mom though...

 "What do you mean you can't find her?"

 

\-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

 It's been two weeks since then; his mom had freaked out when she received the news of not being able to find Touko. Unable to believe either Cheren or Bianca when they said that the only news they had of her had been the watchguard seeing her playing in Route 1 with her purrloin before losing sight of her.

 Touya had been sent up to look for his sister's things while the Masons were led out and perhaps given a good explanation. It was hard to tell if his mother was even in the mood for her usual pleasantries.

 His sister had taken her favorite clothes, her toothbrush and the family toothpaste, the soap, some towels, the toilet paper and Touya's sunblock. It added insult to injury that she stole his things on her quest to be more ready for her journey. Not that he blamed her, her own sunblock was more of a tan lotion than protection of any type. Horrified, he checked his room as well for anything missing.

 His tent, his sleeping bag, his bug spray, his cat treats and his survival guide. Goddamn it Touko! Those were his. She had no right!

 He rushed to the bottom of the stairs where his mom was interrogating Cheren and Bianca, "H-Her stuff is g-gone and s-she to-ook m-m-my stu-stuff!"

 His mom was furious.

 "All of you, stay here and wait to see if she comes back. I'll look for her. If I'm not back by 11, Touya stay at Cheren's house for the night. Tell Chelsea that I'll pay her back later." From every angle it became obvious that Touko had inherited Mom's looks and personality, from the curls of brown hair that swung behind her as she shot up the stairs to the angry expression on her face that Touko could copy to the tee.

 But when she smiled, having come down with different clothes and dressed for the long night before her, she was his mom and he wanted to be at least a little bit like her too. She kissed him and gave him a tight hug, murmuring reassurances into his ear.

 "You be good, okay? I love you and will definitely bring your sister back. Don't worry, I'll be back soon." A flick of her hair and she was out of the door. Cheren and Bianca helped him leave the house in order before locking it. She hasn't been back since.

 The world seemed bleaker, quieter and mostly went by in blurs as far as he was concerned. Bianca and Cheren kept him company everyday while everyone else in town commented to each other over Touko and how it was bound to happen. As if they knew anything. "Touya, everything will be alright. Your mom will come back with Touko and we'll put this all behind us. Okay? So... Cheer up!"

 Sweet, sweet Bianca.

 "It's not the end of the world. Your mother will come back with Touko and we will enjoy watching the show until your mother decides she's suffered enough."

 Insufferable yet honest Cheren.

 How he hated them right now. Cheerful, secure in the knowledge that they have no sisters to run off and ruin their chances of leaving along with them. Loving parents that loved them with a single minded devotion and had nice warm homes where to come home to.

 How he envied them.

 "Touya, you just let us know if you need anything, okay?"

 What he wanted was for his mom to come back, he wanted his sister to be less of a bitch, he wanted his pokemon journey and most importantly he wanted his life to return to normal. Was that too much to ask for?

 He nodded at Bianca and Cheren who had been trying to cheer him up. Today is his birthday, and all he wants to do is to go home.

 He couldn't stand staying at Cheren's house any longer. He appreciated their hospitality but it wasn't home.

 The key slid into its keyhole and a simple turn of the wrist opened the door. Trepidation began to churn in his stomach, he had always locked the door. "Mom?"

 He moved further in the house, "Mom?"

 He strained his hearing hoping beyond hope there were no burglars. That would be a terrible way to start off his birthday.

 Running shower. He rushed forward, leapping the stairs by the twos as he continued calling out. The door of the bathroom wasn't locked, from under the water came a humming.

 "Mom?" he called out tentatively.

 The humming stopped, "Touya?" his mom's head poked out from behind the curtain. "Weren't you at Cheren's house? I was planning on heading over after my shower."

 His throat constricted and even though he wanted to say more, his stutter locked up on the first syllable. He's not certain who began the hug but he couldn't bring himself to care about wet clothing when he hugs his mom close.

 

\------------------------------------------------------------------

 

 His birthday party followed the same pattern it did every year.

 They got together in the living room with friends and family. Chatting hours away while enjoying of the little snacks and finger food the moms had put together for the party. Touko would usually eat all of the mini cinnamon buns, which she knew were also his favorite. Now he enjoyed them and so did the rest of the guests. He did horde a few though.

 They then played a few games simple and easy that could be played with lots of people. None of the Truth and Dare or the incredibly elaborate Simon Says that she did on her last birthday. She always preferred to try scandalous games that kids loved and adults disapproved of. Not that any of her friends were around to entertain anyway. They weren't friends of Touya and wouldn't come even if he invited them.

 Lastly, the birthday boy and girl -in this case, boy-  would cut the cake and serve for all of the guests. Mom usually bought a cake with two flavours: whipped cream and strawberries for him and chocolate and fudge for Touko. This time it was a simple big cake of whipped cream and strawberries.

 He ate two pieces for memories' sake.

 He's pretty sure that she has been taking pictures all night because she is trying to forget that there should be one more person celebrating today. She still hands it over on occasion to make sure she appears in the cake cutting picture and as the first one to wish him happy birthday after the song.

 It's on days like this that his fears abate just a little and he is sure that she really does love him just as much as she does Touko. See, he knew it all along. He just needed a little reminder, that's all.

 The phone rang and his mom went off to answer it.

 "Touko!" Touya doubted many people heard it. Bianca's mom had and Bianca herself, both of whom had amazing hearing, but Cheren seemed to have missed it and his mom likely hadn't heard it over her animated discussion with the adults in the room near the phone.

 His mom talked in low but sharp words. He managed to catch a few "...What were you thinking? ... Scared us... Come back home... What are you thinking? ... You terrible child!"

 She hushed up and after a minute turned to him, "Touya, the phone, it's for you."

 He headed over with the heaviest sensation over his shoulders, weighing him down. As he reached the phone, his mother was wiping away the tears from her face. "Talk some sense into her!" She barked before hurriedly heading up the stairs to hide in her room.

 He pressed his phone into the receiver, anger simmering inside him. "B-Bitch."

 "Hello, brother dearest. Still upset I'm living the dream and you aren't?" She had no idea the problems she provoked with her little stunt?

 "Y-You m-ma-made mom cr-cry." Breathing was hard when his stutter was this hard. It made it even harder to actually pronounce things and the only way he would manage a full sentence was if he articulated the words slowly and with his growing irritation it was impossible.

 "She'll get over it." He could feel her shrug through the phone as her voice shook in nervous laughter. Touko wasn't sure and reasonably she had no reason to be. Neither of them had ever been in this situation before and Mom... Mom was irreplaceable.

 "Hey, Touya?" The soft words threw him out of balance for a bit.

 He made a small noise from the back of his throat. A little hum.

 "Happy Birthday."

 "You too."


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Their journey begins. Things might seem bad now but with friends and adventure in their path, things will get better.

"3, 2, 1!" Bianca loudly calls as the three of them take their first steps out into the world as pokemon trainers.

 His mind fumbles as it tries to record this moment as something monumental but the moment is sullied with the bitterness and helplessness at the consequences of Touko running away.

 He clutches the pokeball in his hand. He hasn't let it go since the present arrived to his house. It had been from Professor Juniper.

  _ _Please settle your choices politely.__

Cheren had scoffed when he read it, but he was quickly silenced when he caught sight of the three pokeballs inside.

 Tepig, Snivy and Oshawott.

 It was simply unbelievable that Professor Juniper had just gone ahead and given them the Unova starters. It meant she already had their parent's permission to go on their pokemon journeys and the timing made sense because both Bianca and Cheren were older than Touya and Touko by a few months.

 Touko had wanted Tepig, the fire pig pokemon. It would have suited her, what with her outgoing personality and larger than life presence.

 Touya chose Oshawott.

 It may have been the lifeline he had been looking for ever since this mess started. The memory of wanting Oshawott because of the glorious form it would have as Samurott, along with the versatility of its move pool. The bipedaled otter pokemon had pressed its forehead against Touya's chest, nuzzling him like a cat.

 Another reason had been because out of the starters it had been most like the purrloin and thus when newly baptized Nix had decided she was going to shove her shell into his arm, he was prepared.

 "Touya!" Bianca calls dragging out the o and a in his name with a singsong of good humor, "Hurry up!"

 Although Touya did his best to agree from a far, it seems that Cheren is feeling motherly. Bianca turns back to face Touya with forced cheer as if holding back blatant worry. "No hurry! We can wait."

 He didn't want to go to Accumula. In fact, he wanted to bypass the town entirely. He could feel their judging looks even from the comfort of his own room and the feeling only grew worse the closer he came to it.

 Twin paws press against his calf as a small body pushes him forward. His face makes a curious twist that combines amusement and disgust as Nix finally acts on her increasing impatience, but ultimately his steps turn to the following town.

 It feels like oil. Their stares. The atmosphere. His blood. He can see a missing person flier. His sister's photo. He can't see anyone looking his way but... He doesn't want to do this anymore. He can't. He turns on his heel, ready to head back to Nuvema Town.

 Bianca and Cheren hold his wrists and each link one of his hands with their own. They silently hold him, wrapping their free arm around him. He struggles but he knows it is useless. His face is flushed and his breath caught in his throat, Bianca is smiling patiently and Cheren is acting as if this isn't anything unusual.

 His heart gives a strong lurch and he buries his face in Bianca's shoulder, her arms craddling around him and the burn of tears blurring his eyes as his throat closes. He can't.

 "Breathe, Touya. We're here for you."

 He didn't deserve them.

 Professor Juniper had been patiently waiting in the Pokemon Center when they arrive. As far as Touya could tell, from the way her eyes were hooded and her lips curled tightly in an indulgent smile, she wasn't particularly interested in them as her researchers but took great joy in explaining the different components of the Pokemon Center and the computer, as well as how it worked with examples. If she thought anything of Cheren's hand on Touya's shoulder or Bianca holding on to his hand through the explanation, she said nothing.

 "One final thing… When you get to Striaton City, go and meet an inventor named Fennel. She's a friend of mine from long ago. I have a feeling yours will be a fateful encounter." Ominous words with an unreadable expression, if he weren't convinced that she had their parent's approval then he'd worry over their safety.

 "Yes, Professor!"

 "As it is on our way, I see no reason not to."

 He shuffles in place, reassured and embarrassed by his friends' support. There's still a desperate itch in the soles of his feet to flee the town as quickly as he is able but he buries it and his frantically beating heart under Bianca's sweet smile and Cheren's steady presence.

 He can calm down as long as he can focus solely on them.

 He is calm as Bianca leads them up the steps to a pair of artists who play music. He is calm as Cheren takes them to talk to the people downhill. He is calm when a girl recognizes him as Touko's brother.

 "Excuse me." She calls out, "Are you related by any chance to the girl in the missing person posters?"

 He feels his blood freeze but he nods anyway, "H-have you... seen her?"

 She shakes her head ruefully, "No, I'm sorry. I haven't seen her. You two just look very similar, that's all."

 He fingers the brim of his cap. He pulls it down, unsure of what he should say or feel. It hurts and he's angry, sad, mostly resentful. He nods his head, mostly to be polite.

 Cheren sides up next to him, "These are trying times for his family, as I'm sure you understand. We are very thankful for your concern."

 She nods herself, "Yes, of course. I hope you find her." She turns and leaves with a wave.

 Bianca pulls her eyelid down and blows her a silent raspberry. For once they just smile amongst themselves at the comradery, "Let's get some ice cream!"

 Bianca leads the way after her suggestion and off they go.

 

~*~

 

"Touya!" He freezes, smile slipping as he turns out of shock.

 Talking to Cheren and Bianca had been just like their outings in Nuvema and the familiarity had him relaxing and enjoying himself, as Bianca teased Cheren and the ice cream melts in their cones only to be licked up by frantic teenagers.

 Cheer and good humor are coursing through his veins and she is a sight for sore eyes, he just has an overwhelming need to hold her close.

 He feels self-conscious of Cheren and Bianca as he hugs her. His mom wraps herself around him and he sinks into the embrace like a thirsty man drinking his first drop of water.

 "How has my young man been?" She coos in his ear. "I missed you." He recognizes it as the same way she speaks to Touko when she has done something that tugs at his mother's heartstrings.

 His heart swells.

 "I m-missed yo-you t-t-too."

 She hugs him one more time and it is soft, warm and safe. He loves and relishes her hug, wanting to sink deeper into it, but then she distances herself from him as if he minded that she hugged him. Despite Touko complaining about being hugged in public, Touya has never minded.

 "Well, kids, how has the first taste of journeying been for you? It might not seem like much but even one city away is one step farther from home." She scouts Cheren and Bianca for reactions.

 For their part, the two just shrug.

 "It doesn't feel like much yet." Bianca confesses. "I'm still very excited to see everything, but we've been to Striaton and Accumula before, so..."

 His mom laughs, "It probably still feels like a dream, but as you go farther it'll start to sink in."

 Cheren shuffles around a bit. An inquisitive brow results in a shrug and a head shake.

 Bianca's eyes flick towards Cheren and then to Touya as his mom searches in her bag for something. A look of realization passes over her face briefly before smoothing over as his mom calls to him.

 "Touya, I brought you your running shoes. I know I gave you money to buy yourself new ones, but I saw them laying around and thought that perhaps you'd prefer your own." She comments, handing them over with a brilliant smile.

 "On that note, Bianca, I need your advice." She pulls out a pair of new running shoes, in their bag, immaculate and very feminine in the type of model that Touko liked based on some fashion conversations that the two had had once upon a time. "Do you think these are fashionable?"

 Bianca's face makes a complicated move before settling into a wary smile, " Yeah, it's very cute and sporty."

 "Good!" She clutches them to her chest, "I'm worried that Touko has left on her journey with her ragged running shoes. Really, I raised such a silly girl. Right, Touya?"

 He nods.

 It was no secret that Touko was reckless. It really wouldn't surprise anyone if she ended up walking around barefoot because she broke her running shoes.

 A huff from Bianca catches him by surprise but she just shakes her head with a fond smile before turning to pay attention to his mom.

 "Well, I wish you kids well. Remember to have fun on your journey and if you ever need anything, remember us parents have some experience in the journeying department so don't hesitate in asking us for advice."

 With a peck on Touya's forehead and a quick wave, she walks off presumably towards the city's exit.

 Touya feels reassured, it was nice to see his mom again. It had been hard to see her aimless after Touko had run off, but she seemed to be in better spirits now and that was good.

 It was good.

 He turned to Bianca and Cheren, both staring at his mom's retreating back with an intensity that he had come to expect.

 "Wha-what di-d-did she do th-thi-this t-time?"

 To drive his point home he even sighs dramatically at the end, so they know he didn't appreciate their displeasure towards his mom.

 "She's doing it again!" Bianca whines, "It isn't fair to you."

 "Her ability to be so biased towards one of her children and raise the other to be equally biased is outstanding, that's all." Cheren pushes his glasses back up the bridge of his nose with an air of nonchalant disdain.

 "Touko's running shoes are shit." He blurts out, unsure of what else to say. What else did they want? Even Bianca could readily admit that Touko was reckless. Though he had to agree that she shouldn't get anything for misbehaving, even if his mom worried over how poorly prepared she was for the Gym Challenge. It would have made for a good lesson at the very least.

 They both sigh and shake their heads in resignation.

 "What?!" He demands but is dismissed as they focus on finishing their ice cream cones.

 

~*~

 

Their first battle with other pokemon trainers is a very strange ordeal in Touya's opinion.

 He had noticed when they had battled that Cheren's battle strategy was the same he used when playing video games, with a series of carefully planned combo sequences that stood no chance against Touko and Bianca's button smash.

 Bianca's battling skills surprisingly also applied to that same analogy. She had no idea what she wanted done with the pokemon moves, all she wanted to do was win. Screaming at her pokemon very exact orders that left them wide open to being attacked was definitely a problem she would have to work on if she had any intention on winning, but so far it worked for her.

 Touya wasn't sure what he was.

 Nix was so small but had a fierce glint in her eyes.

 "Again. Ta." he ordered.

 Nix threw herself into a full body tackle that shook the empty tree once more, the padding that Touya had made with his sleeping bag's pouch and his clothes preventing Nix from truly getting hurt.

 "Tackle."

 Nix jumped back to gain a bit of momentum before throwing herself into the move again.

 "Ta."

 Cheren and Bianca were somewhere down the route gaining experience points with wild pokemon encounters. Likely working on their teamwork for the first Gym.

 Twenty repetitions of each word was enough for Nix to have down the gist of what the exercise was about, and was breathing hard in result of the exertion.

 Touya holds out a hand for her to stop, she cocks her head at him but relaxes. He squats down before her and passes his hands threw her fur, each ministration was responded to with an opposing motion and a tilting body ready for the caress. "G-Good."

 He settles down by a tree, laying on the padding to avoid a stiff back but it is still very uncomfortable. Nix climbs into his lap and proceeds to drape herself over Touya's legs.

 He smiles at her and silently worries over the time he has been using to train his pokemon to be able to battle in spite of his stutter, when he could have been battling other pokemon. Nix is tired and Touya has stocked up on potions for the sole purpose of not having to go back to Accumula. The memory of the girl from earlier fresh in his mind.

 Wild pokemon don't pose much of a challenge, Nix barely needs much care after every fight when he stumbles on a purrloin. The cat is barely older than the one he cared for and the differences extend far passed the dusty, gray mop of fur that really brings the word feral home.

 He opens his mouth to call out an attack, but the words are caught in his throat. He can't get them out, they're stuck in a knot so thick and intrusive that he feels he might be sick. It isn't even that he feels particularly affected over fighting a purrloin after having raised one. He just can't bring himself to injure it.

 He moves his tongue around, licks his lips and struggles as he tries to spit out anything other than 'ah' and 'eh' which are vocal crutches rather than any of the attacks Nix can use.

 Nix is visibly confused but she manages to defeat the purrloin entirely on her own. The patrat comes out of nowhere and scratches Nix on her side.

 "Nix, dodge. Tackle."

 Nix used her shell to slide over the grass and position herself nicely to tackle the patrat. The first hit shoves it a few feet back but it still holds its ground.

 It begins growling and Nix concedes a bit of ground looking unnerved.

 "Patrat, where are- Patrat! No, what are you doing?" A boy rounds some tall shrubs and comes from behind. His hands are fisted in his shirt and he's worrying his lower lip.

 His patrat spares him a cheeky grin that, while it cooled down the blazing inferno growing in Touya's chest at the indignation of having been attacked from behind, it festers on the knowledge that the boy had no idea how to control his pokemon.

 Nix wastes no time in brutally punting the patrat and Touya pities the boy enough to make his pokemon lose as quickly as he can manage. The patrat sways, tries to hold on to consciousness before falling to its knees and hits the ground out as a light.

 Touya moves faster than the boy does and lifts the patrat from its scruff, legs dangling in the air. The boy is frantic, "What are you doing with my patrat? Patrat, are you okay buddy?"

 "Reign him in or I will." It's a growl that keeps a much worse explosion at bay, makes the boy shut up and huddle into himself. Touya shoves the patrat into his trainer's arms, careful to not injure it further but not kind about it either.

 His temper flares and it is a bright dangerous thing, every battle he has henceforth is tinged in outrage and barely contained viciousness. It's only with the sight of Striaton before him that his temper finally wastes away to tired weariness.

 

~*~

 

"They say a pokemon lives in Dreamyard." The room is dark and the flashlight in the middle of the group shines from below adding to the atmosphere.

 "Some say it was sealed in that area by a psychic who used their own life to keep it there, others that it doesn't like humans and keeps to itself in abandoned areas." The hushed voice continued.

 The group of children look into each other's faces caught between nerves and laughter, still they hold in their voices in rapt attention to the storyteller's tale.

 "What we do know is that those who pass through the broken walls of the old factory are caught inside a web of dreams that are as beautiful as they are terrible." There was a pause in the tale, in which the girl who was telling caught her breath, "A friend of my brother went there once. He climbed over the broken containers and made his way inside. He said that he was surprised by how normal everything looked, even peaceful as the grass had overrun the old factory floor."

 "It didn't last long."

 "He walked around using a flashlight to guide his path. Things began to get strange when fireflies appeared."

 "Fireflies?! That's stupid!" A boy immediately protested.

 "SHUSH!" The entire group turned to him.

 He settled down and the telling restarted, "There is nothing ultimately strange or scary about fireflies, it looked like a fairytale. Beautiful and bright. That's when he noticed there were places where the fireflies went that had shadows, dark things that were there then gone when he tried to focus on them."

 "Then he began to notice the rattling of grass. Thinking a pokemon was nearby, he tried to reach for his pokebelt, but his pokeballs were no longer there." Gasps ring out through the room, faces turn ashen, mouths run dry and knots of worry form in their guts.

 "He pats himself down. Maybe -if he's quick, if he's lucky enough- he will find his pokeballs. The sound of rattling grass stops."

 "There are no crickets. The wind is gone. No sound can be heard. In the deafening silence where only his breath can be heard over the beating of his own heart, the sharp noise of a coin falling on a marble tile can be heard."

 "Lights blind him as the place he is in changes, there is money in piles and stacks like those you can barely believe exist in movies. With words can be seen in the furthest reach of the room, painted in blood and read 'Money enough you could choke on it'. A marrowak's skull laying on top of the tallest pile."

 "Nothing could chill him more than the sound of bone against wall. Sounding from behind him, coming closer by the second. A voice calling out 'Mar...ro....wak...'"

 "He ran as fast as his legs could take him. The wind howling with the bone boomerang that trailed after him like the reaper's call."

 "He ran into the containers, cutting himself and falling hard as he threw himself out of Dreamyard's walls."

 "Only then did he allow himself to turn back. Dreamyard looking dark and wild as he had first seen it."

 "They say a pokemon lives in Dreamyard. Sometimes it comes out to play and sometimes..."

 "It doesn't."

 

~*~

 

Straiton City was much bigger than Accumula and Nuvema Town, as such it has things teenagers simply can't resist.

 Bianca looks on warily as Cheren and Touya excitedly eat at the Pokemon Center's cafeteria.

 "I- I he-heard tha- that there were gh-ghosts o-of b-bikers!" Touya's expression was so cutely enthused with the idea that Bianca knew she just couldn't break their bubbles.

 Cheren was exactly the same shade of excited as Touya was, "The rumors all pinpoint that pokemon activity is the explanation for the various accounts. We can only assume that it's either a ghost pokemon or one that uses illusions."

 "Shouldn't you guys be more excited over the gym?" It was the logical assumption, though perhaps they were just as nervous over facing the gym as she was.

 Cheren and Touya both nodded, "It's not that we aren't excited over the gym. It's simply the matter that the mithos that has been built up over Dreamyard makes it more appealing as an initial target."

 Which in Cheren speak was something more along the lines of, he was super curious over what the mystery of Dreamyard is. Since they were in pokemon school, rumors over people going to Dreamyard and seeing apparitions without signs of apparent cause were the juiciest news in the playground.

 Touko had of course been the one to fan the flames of curiosity in everyone and created the most outrageous stories to go with each new theory, everyone had eaten them up like hot bread and not even Cheren could resist the temptation. It seemed so silly now, but it seemed that Touya and Cheren were ready to prove or disprove the theories.

 It was funny how Touko could inspire so many people, amazing really.

 It was so hard to hate her too, Bianca really wished it were that easy. Touko was fun, reckless and the incarnate of everything Peter Pan stood for. She fueled dreams and had such a greater than life presence that it was hard to not join her.

 If there was anything Bianca wanted, it was to have a tenth of Touko's courage and self/assurance. Touko inspired her to push her limits and throw herself at things. If she was going to do any sot of growing on this journey, she wanted to be that person that she never dared to be. A new Bianca, bold and confident.

 "Well, are you done yet?" Bianca teased as she finished the last of her Pinap Juice and turned to lift her tray. "I didn't leave home to gush about where I'm going next. Let's go to Dreamyard! We've waited long enough."

 Her impression of Touko left a lot to be desired and it felt strange on her tongue, but she'd soon learn to make it own. For now, the face-splitting grins glowing back at her from her two bestfriends was enough.


End file.
